Returned
by Sarah9
Summary: This is my first Dark Angel fic. It's M/L, and shows events after AJBAC. Really shippy. I've posted this before, but I made a few minor changes. R&R, PLEASE!!!!! :)


Author's Note: Hey, everybody. This is just a little update. I fixed the some grammar and changed the ending a bit. So no big changes or additions. For those of you who haven't read it yet, pleeeeeeeease read and review! I will love you forever! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Returned  
  
It had been two months. Two long months since she had died in his arms that night. And no matter how hard he tried to forget, he knew that the image would be imprinted in his memory forever. In his mind's eye, he could still see her lying on the ground, a small trickle of blood running from her nose. He could see the frightened look in her eyes, and worst of all, he could still feel the moment when she took her last, shuddering breath in his arms.  
  
Logan knew, that with her last breath, he had taken his as well.  
  
His computer beeped insistently, and Logan snapped back to reality. He had been like this for two months. Two months, five hours, and thirty- two minutes, every minute spent thinking of her. Missing her. Needing her. He had fallen into a depression that offered no respite. And he didn't even care.  
  
Eyes Only, of course, remained unaffected by the disaster. The man behind that mask was the same as he had been for years. Except now, instead of working so hard to "save the world" as Max had always said, he was pouring everything he had into the one thing that could keep his mind off of the pain.  
  
Lately, though, even Eyes Only had been suffering. When he sacrificed his money for his morals so many months ago, Logan knew that he would eventually feel the affects. Funds were getting more and more limited by the day, and sources weren't willing to help anybody without receiving what they believed was their rightful payoff. Facing the possible end of Eyes Only just added to Logan's desperation. What else, then, would be left for him? A man who couldn't even walk on his own?  
  
Logan sighed and glanced at the clock on his desk. Three in the morning. An hour that he was seeing more often these days. He had tried to sleep for the first few nights after her death- if for no other reason than to escape the pain. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw hers. Her eyes, filled with fear, in that last moment before they closed forever.  
  
Logan felt the familiar lump rise in his throat, but no tears came. They had stopped long ago, when none were left to cry.  
  
Running his fingers through his spiky hair, Logan rested his forehead on his hand and stared at his computer screen, focusing on anything that would distract him from the constant thoughts of Max.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Bling watched from the far corner of the room as Logan stared blankly at his computer. He had insisted upon staying at Logan's place after Max's death, afraid of what the devastated man might do. Bling knew that Logan was not a man who dealt well with loss. He had seen firsthand how Logan had handled the loss of his legs, and Max had told him of the "almost" suicide after so many failed attempts at rehabilitation. And Bling knew that Logan was suffering a hundred times more now than he had been then.  
  
Bling stretched his legs and slowly rose from his chair. He headed over to where Logan was sitting, his head resting heavily on his hand. Intending to demand that Logan get some rest, Bling realized as he approached that the man was already asleep.  
  
Bling sighed and left Logan where he sat. He headed into the other room, hoping to get some sleep himself.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Logan woke with a start, realizing that he had again fallen asleep at his computer.  
  
He raised his head slowly, groaning at the stiff muscles that had developed during the night. He yawned and looked out the window, surprised to see that the sun was shining. Quite a rare occurrence in Seattle. Maybe he could talk Max into talking a walk with him or something-  
  
And then he remembered. Just like he remembered every morning. It was like losing her all over again. Every single day.  
  
Logan pulled himself up from his chair and walked, zombie-like, into his kitchen. He searched the cabinets absently for something to eat, though he had no real desire for food. Lost in his thoughts, he pulled down a box of cereal. Between the plopping of cereal falling into the bowl of milk, Logan heard a faint noise. He paused, cereal box in hand, and cocked his head to listen.  
  
"Bling?" He questioned softly. No response. Logan walked to the guest bedroom and saw the man, still sound asleep and snoring loudly. Logan shrugged and returned to the kitchen and to his now soggy cereal.  
  
Only moments later, he heard the sound again. A small moan. Logan considered the noise. Probably just the renters below him. They were newlyweds, after all.  
  
But his instincts told him otherwise. He kept listening, and again heard the noise. He noticed, with some trepidation, that it now seemed like the sound was coming from the hallway outside his door.  
  
"That's strange," he muttered to the empty room. He stood up and grabbed the gun he kept hidden in a nearby drawer. He noted absently that he had certainly become more cautious after meeting Max. He laughed, and then paused as the memories came flooding back again. All the time in the world, he had said. Right. He laughed bitterly. Who knew- maybe he had cursed them with those words.  
  
The small moan from outside the door alerted him again to the situation. Loading several rounds into the gun, he approached the door cautiously, cursing his whirring exoskeleton for making so much noise.  
  
He reached the door and heard the moan again. It was coming more frequently now. He slowly pushed the door open a crack, poised to attack or to be attacked.  
  
No one was there. He pushed the door open further, and finally all the way. Hesitantly, he eased around the frame of the door, gun raised in front of him.  
  
His heart stopped.  
  
"Max?" Logan whispered, barely able to believe what he was seeing. She was slumped against the wall, her legs sprawled out in front of her. Her hair was caked with mud, and it seemed that she was bleeding from everywhere. She was hardly recognizable as the woman he knew, but he knew that it was Max. His Max. She wasn't dead. And she had come back to him.  
  
Logan kneeled beside her still body, overcome by hundreds of emotions that he had been suppressing. He hadn't dared to hope-  
  
Max moaned, and he quickly jumped into action.  
  
"Hang on, Max. I'm just gonna find out how badly you're hurt." Logan spoke quickly, his professional side taking over. He swiftly assessed Max's visible injuries with an objectiveness that was admirable considering the circumstances.  
  
He soon determined that her neck and back weren't broken, and he scooped her limp body into his arms and carried her inside, comforted by the steady rise and fall of her breathing against his chest.  
  
"Oh God, Max," he said softly, more to himself than to the woman in his arms. "What happened?" He slammed the door behind him and rushed quickly to his bedroom, laying Max down on his bed. "Bling!" Logan shouted. He began checking Max over more carefully as he heard his friend groan in the next room.  
  
"Come on, man," Bling yelled back, his voice slurred by sleep. "It's only like six in the morning. You gotta tone it down a bit."  
  
"Bling, NOW!" Logan yelled. Bling muttered in the other room and rolled out of bed. He detected the urgency in his friend's voice, though, and reluctantly appeared in Logan's room within moments.  
  
"What's up-" Bling froze as he took in the scene. "What the Hell? What's going on?" Logan glanced up at Bling for a split second.  
  
"No time for that now. I need to get her cleaned up so I can tell how badly she's bleeding." Bling nodded and approached Logan's bed. He froze again, realizing for the first time who the woman was that Logan was helping.  
  
"Oh my God, Logan..." Bling whispered, shocked. Logan looked up at him and smiled gently.  
  
"I know." Bling smiled back, completely speechless. "Come on," Logan said. "Help me get her to the bathroom."  
  
* * * * *  
  
After cleaning her up, Logan and Bling were relieved to find that most of Max's injuries were minor. She was covered with small cuts, and her arms and knees were marred by several large, ugly bruises. Physically, she appeared to be fine. Both men knew, though, that she had been through something terrible.  
  
As Logan held vigil by Max's bedside, he could only imagine what had happened to her. He had held her in his arms as she took her last breath that night. How was it possible that she was now sleeping so soundly in his bedroom? How had she survived? And how had she returned to him? What had they done to her? Logan swelled with anger at the last thought. If someone at Manticore was responsible for the pain that Max, and he himself, had endured, he would find them, and he would somehow make them pay.  
  
All that mattered now, though, was that Max had returned to him. He watched her silently as he slept. Her brow was furrowed, and tiny droplets of moisture were forming on her forehead.  
  
Logan moved to the bed and sat down gently, being careful not to disturb her much needed slumber. He dabbed her forehead with a damp cloth, taking in her soft features as he did so.  
  
God. He had missed her so much- her face, her hair, her sense of humor. He had even missed her smart-assed remarks. Sitting there by her bedside, he wanted nothing more than to see her eyes again.  
  
Softly he traced her features with his fingers, memorizing them, and vowing that they would never be taken from him again. "I'll never lose you again, Max," he said softly. "I couldn't- I can't live without you in my life." He stroked her cheek, smiling as she sighed and wrinkled her nose as she slept.  
  
Suddenly overcome by his own exhaustion, Logan lay down next to his angel and truly slept for the first time in two months.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Logan woke up the next morning and immediately remembered the events of the day before. He rolled over slowly to avoid waking Max, and was surprised to find her missing. He immediately began to panic.  
  
"No," he murmured softly. "Please, no..." He got up from the bed, shaking his head. "God... what if it was a dream?" What if someone had taken her?  
  
Suddenly, he heard a familiar laugh coming from the kitchen, and he was filled with an overwhelming sense of relief. He should have known that she was fine. After all, who was strong enough to kidnap his genetically enhanced personal cat burglar? Logan scolded himself for becoming scared so quickly.  
  
Max was sitting on one of the stools with her back to Logan as he came out of his room. She was finishing off a massive pile of pancakes as she laughed and talked with Bling. Logan watched her for a few moments, reveling in the fact that she was actually sitting there in his kitchen, eating all of his food again. Finally, Bling noticed Logan's presence and fell silent. Max followed Bling's gaze, and her eyes came to rest on Logan. She gave a soft smile.  
  
"Hey, sleepyhead."  
  
"Hey," Logan smiled brightly, but his smile faded slightly. "I woke up and you weren't there. I thought-" He shook his head. "It was stupid-" Max held up a hand, her body radiating that familiar attitude that Logan had missed so much.  
  
"Hey," she said with mock defensiveness. "Even if I haven't seen you for two months, a girl's gotta eat. I couldn't wait until two in the afternoon for you to drag yourself out of bed." A grin spread across her face as Logan looked at his watch.  
  
"Two in the afternoon? Huh..." He looked at her sheepishly.  
  
"Come on now, Max," Bling interjected. "Cut the guy some slack. He hasn't slept well for the last couple months." Max's expression turned serious at Bling's words, and she locked eyes with Logan. They stood for several moments, their eyes saying all the things that they couldn't find words for.  
  
Bling cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Yeah... I guess I've got some errands to run." He left quickly, and the door slammed shut only seconds later.  
  
Logan smiled. "Hey."  
  
"Hey," Max replied, returning his soft smile. Logan's eyes suddenly filled with concern, and he moved quickly to her side. He was overcome by the need to care for her, to touch her- to make sure that this wasn't a dream.  
  
"Are you alright? Do you feel okay? You need to lay down or anything?" He grabbed her shoulder tenderly and led her to the couch. He immediately sat down beside her and grabbed her hand in his, stroking her thumb with his own.  
  
"I'm fine, Logan. Really. Just tired." She stared down at their joined hands.  
  
"Max..." Logan began hesitantly. "How- I mean- not that I'm not completely overjoyed, but- how are you here? I'm having trouble believing that this is all happening." He paused for a moment, a frown forming on his face. "I found you and you were shot... and I held you and you- you stopped breathing."  
  
Max paused, her heart breaking at the tears that were forming in Logan's eyes- at the pain she had caused him over the past two months.  
  
"God, Logan... I'm so sorry..." she bowed her head. "You have to know that if I could have contacted you I would have. But I couldn't..."  
  
"Max," Logan said softly, but firmly. "Do not be sorry. I don't know exactly what happened, but none of it was your fault. None of it. I'm just so glad that you're back. Nothing else matters right now." He drew her towards him and hugged her tightly. She returned his hug, and he felt her begin to shake as the tears she had been holding back finally revealed themselves. He held her closer, wishing, as he always had, that there was some way he could ease her pain.  
  
Several minutes later, her sobs turned to sniffles, and she snuggled further into the comfort of Logan's embrace. Her breathing slowed as Logan stroked her hair, and soon he believed that she had fallen asleep. He closed his eyes and drifted off, only to be quickly reawakened by the sound of her soft voice.  
  
"Zack is dead." Logan paused, shocked.  
  
"How?" He replied.  
  
"He sacrificed himself. For me." She sat up and held Logan's hand over her beating heart. Logan looked at her questioningly, and she nodded.  
  
"He was a good man, Max. I know wasn't the best at showing it-" Max chuckled softly. "I admired him. I really did." She nodded as tears threatened to fall once again. "C'mere," Logan whispered. He gathered her into his arms again. "It's all going to be okay." He rubbed her back slowly and she sighed. He felt her body slowly begin to relax again as her breathing steadied.  
  
"I missed you, Max. More than you could ever know." He said quietly.  
  
"Mmmm... I know... missed you too Logan," she said sleepily. She paused for a moment. "Somthin' I need to tell you..." she murmured softly.  
  
"Later, sweetheart. Right now, you need to sleep. We'll talk later."  
  
"Aiight," Max barely whispered as she snuggled closer to Logan. She grabbed his hand in hers as she slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Max woke later that night, feeling refreshed and relieved to be back where she felt safe. The past two months had been Hell for her. The recovery after her heart transplant had been long and painful. Even X-5s required time to recover from such a procedure.  
  
Every time she closed her eyes she thought of Logan and wondered when, or if, she would see him again.  
  
And every time her heart took a beat, she was reminded of Zack and the sacrifice he had made for her. Of course, that bitch, Madame X as she was called, hadn't hesitated in rubbing in the fact that Max was the reason her big brother had died.  
  
But, as always, Max had been strong. She blocked out Madame X's guilt trips. She knew that Zack would have kicked her ass if he had seen her wallowing around in guilt and self pity. So she focused her long recovery on planning an escape. She resisted the attempts made to bring her loyalties back to Manticore, and honestly, she had expected a more thorough attempt at brainwashing her. She had expected drugs, needles, torture. Instead, she was subjected to daily "inspirational" talks about "duty" and "honor" which, if anything, made her want to get out of the place even more. Her loyalties lay elsewhere.  
  
Then the day came for her to make her move. Almost two months in a room alone had given her plenty of time to formulate a well laid out escape plan, which she executed flawlessly. At least there was something to be said for her genetically engineered DNA.  
  
She spent several days and nights on the run in the dense forest- her limbs slashed by the branches and bruised by rocks hidden in the underbrush. She met no resistance. It seemed that Manticore had other things on its mind. Apparently, they were too distracted by recent events to even notice that one of their most prized possessions had made a break for it. But Max knew that they would come after her eventually. And for that reason she continued to push on through the woods.  
  
Once she reached Seattle, she knew where safety lay.  
  
She barely made it to Logan's door before she collapsed, her still recovering body completely beaten and exhausted.  
  
Now, though her body ached and her heart was crying for a lost borther, she knew that everything would be okay. If not now, then eventually. She was home.  
  
She had moved to the large window of Logan's penthouse and stared out over the darkening skies of Seattle, consumed by her thoughts. She jumped slightly as she heard Logan stir on the couch behind her.  
  
"Max?" He questioned. She turned to look at him and laughed at his appearance. His hair was more ruffled than usual, and his eyes were still drooping from sleep. He looked just like a little boy waking up from a nap. "You okay?" Logan continued, a slightly bemused look on his face.  
  
"Yeah. I'm cool." She smiled, and for the first time, Logan knew that she really meant it. Without really thinking about it, Max walked back to the couch and sat next to him, feeling the need to be close. He hesitated, then smiled at her.  
  
They sat like that for several minutes, staring out the window at the broken city below.  
  
"You hungry?" Logan said suddenly. Max turned, grinning.  
  
"Do you even have to ask me that?" Logan chuckled.  
  
"Good. Not only have I not slept much while you've been gone, I haven't eaten much, either. My appetite has made a sudden reappearance." Max grabbed his hand, again touched and saddened by how much he had suffered while she was gone.  
  
"I'm back now, Logan."  
  
"I know." He squeezed her hand and smiled. Max chuckled.  
  
"You'd better watch out. Pretty soon you'll be eating like me."  
  
"No!" He gasped. "Scary thought." Max punched him on the arm, and he pretended to wince. She smiled at him sarcastically.  
  
"So. What's the great chef Cale pulling out of his magic hat tonight?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
They ate in companionable silence, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. She had explained to him the events of her capture and escape, and he had told her of the problems that had developed with Eyes Only while she had been gone.  
  
Max laughed as she watched Logan inhale his meal, realizing that he hadn't been lying when he had said he hadn't eaten much lately. He was obviously more than making up for it now.  
  
Logan looked up as he heard her chuckle.  
  
"What?" He asked around a mouthful of food. Max just chuckled again.  
  
"Nothin'." She concentrated on her own food, attempting to hide her childish grin. She had never felt so... giggly before.  
  
Logan set down his fork and grabbed her hand from across the table.  
  
"You know what?" He said. Max stared dumbfounded at their hands, his finger slowly tracing around hers, and his thumb stroking her hand softly. She shuddered at the sparks that suddenly shot through her body.  
  
"What?" She murmured.  
  
"I've had enough food." He ran his hand up her arm and back down again. Max swallowed and dragged her eyes away from his slender fingers. She looked in his eyes and was surprised by the pure passion she saw there. She gulped, and he slowly grabbed her hand, dragging her to a standing position, her body mere inches from his.  
  
"You're not hungry anymore?" She questioned in a whisper.  
  
"I never said that," he stated roughly. "I just said that I'd had enough food."  
  
Max blushed, smelling his cologne as she finally gained back some semblance of control.  
  
She breathed deeper, attempting to get another whiff of his scent. "I'm starting to sense a change in your mood, Logan." She smiled at him angelically.  
  
"Very perceptive, Max. Is it a good change?" He whispered. He moved closer to her and she stepped back, still smiling.  
  
"Could be." She took another step back, in the general direction of his couch. He followed her, his eyes never leaving hers.  
  
"Good," he replied. "Sit with me." He walked towards her, and she backed up until her legs hit the couch behind her. She sat abruptly, and he kneeled on the floor in front of her.  
  
He moved his hand up her leg, his eyes suddenly filled with a tenderness that took her breath away. He moved his hand to her face, cupping her cheek in his palm. She leaned into his hand, her eyes slowly drifting shut.  
  
She had never felt like this before. Never so emotional, so vulnerable, so safe. She'd never felt so much love for anyone in her life.  
  
Logan was feeling the same thing. Sure, he had been married, and he had loved his wife very much. But that love was so much different than what he felt for Max right now- what he had felt for Max for a very, very long time.  
  
Opening his eyes, which he hadn't even realized were shut, he saw Max, his hand still absently stroking the smooth skin of her face.  
  
"Max..." he murmured softly.  
  
"Mmmm?" She questioned, sighing as she dragged her eyes open.  
  
"I think I'm in love with you." Logan watched her, gauging her response to his statement. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock.  
  
"Logan..." He sensed her minute hesitation and panicked.  
  
"God- I'm sorry..." He started to back away from her. "I just assumed- Maybe I should go." He started to rise, but Max quickly grabbed his arm.  
  
"Logan!" She said sternly. "First of all, you can't go, cuz this is your house." Logan stared intently at the arm of the sofa. "And secondly, I don't want you to go." He glanced up at her hesitantly.  
  
"You don't?"  
  
"No. I don't. I want you to stay." His head fell again, and Max reached under his chin, raising his eyes to meet hers.  
  
"You really want me to stay?" He questioned softly.  
  
"Yeah. I want you to stay," she replied. She slowly moved her face towards his, until their lips were only millimeters apart. She spoke in a whisper so soft that Logan almost felt, rather than heard it. "Because I think I'm in love with you, too." She smiled and brushed her lips over his.  
  
It took Logan a moment to digest Max's words. She pulled away, worried at his lack of response. She looked at him questioningly.  
  
"You are?" He said. She nodded. "Oh, thank God!" She smiled and raised her eyebrow.  
  
"Relieved?" She asked.  
  
"You have no idea." Logan grabbed her head, pulling her lips back to his. He kissed her tenderly, then more passionately. He traced her lips with the tip of his tongue, requesting entry. She consented, and he explored her sweet mouth as she explored his own.  
  
Without breaking the contact between them, he raised himself up onto the couch and drew her closer to him, feeling the heat from her body meeting with his.  
  
He tangled his fingers in her hair, stroking her face with his free hand. She whimpered, running her own hands through his spiky hair and down his arms, feeling the hard muscles beneath his shirt.  
  
They both broke away, gasping.  
  
"Wow," Logan said breathlessly.  
  
"You got that right," Max replied. Logan looked down at Max's fingers, which were now absently playing with the hem of his shirt.  
  
He closed his eyes, shuddering slightly as she ran her fingers under his shirt, tracing the skin along the top of his slacks. "God, Max..."  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at her. He traced his hand up her body until it rested over her quickly beating heart. "Are you sure?" He asked. "You've been through a lot and I- I don't want to hurt you." Her hand came up to meet his.  
  
"You could never hurt me Logan."  
  
He smiled, bringing his lips to hers again, with renewed passion. "You know," he said between strained breaths. "I thought that the last time I kissed you would be the only time." He remembered that day- the day before she had been taken from him.  
  
"Well, Logan," she said breathlessly. "There are gonna be lots of times for you to kiss me... especially if this is how you always kiss." She grinned and he chuckled at her attitude.  
  
She began to tug insistently on his shirt, and he separated himself from her long enough to pull his top off as she did the same.  
  
He ran his hands up her sides, feeling her shiver at his touch. He kissed her everywhere, moving from her forehead to the base of her neck, as she ran her hands over his hard chest.  
  
Eventually, they both realized through their haze of emotions, that they were still on the couch. Wordlessly, they stood up and walked hand in hand to his bedroom. 


End file.
